Chipotle incoming CEO wished best by iwaspoisoned.com founder

A former Morgan Stanley banker whose iwaspoisoned.com website helped drive down the stock of Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) in July by compiling complaints of food poisoning wishes the company good luck after it named Taco Bell’s top executive as its new CEO.

“We think it's possible for all brands to improve their food safety oversight, including Chipotle,” Patrick Quade, who operates the website as well as Dinesafe.org, told FOX Business in an email message Wednesday.

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Brian Niccol is leaving Yum Brands (NYSE:YUM), Taco Bell’s parent, and will assume the role of Chipotle CEO on March 5. He will replace the company’s co-founder and executive chairman, Steve Ells, who stepped down as chief executive last year as the chain faced pressure related to food safety.

Chipotle did not answer at the time of publication after FOX Business sought comment.

Quade started iwaspoisoned.com after contracting food poisoning following a purchase from a deli in Manhattan’s Tribeca neighborhood.

“I tried to report it to the store, and they hung up on me,” Quade told FOX Business. “It inspired me to build a platform to give consumers a voice and help detect potential outbreaks and danger to consumers in real time."

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At Morgan Stanley, Quade worked on the rates desk of the institutional services group‘s fixed-income division.

He said anyone can buy a site license for his services company, Dinesafe.org, which tailors data for customers.